Quality Tools, The Basic Seven
This topic actually contains an assortment of tools, some developed by quality engineers, and
some adapted from other applications. They provide the means for making quality management
decisions based on facts. No particular tool is mandatory, any one may be helpful, depending on
circumstances. A number of software programs are available as aids to the application of some of
these tools.
Total Quality Management (TQM) and Total Quality Control (TQC) literature make frequent
mention of seven basic tools. Kaoru Ishikawa contends that 95% of a company's problems can
be solved using these seven tools. The tools are designed for simplicity. Only one, control charts
require any significant training. The tools are:
• Flow Charts
• Ishikawa Diagrams
• Checklists
• Pareto Charts
• Histograms
• Scattergrams
• Control Charts